Second-half blitz sees Kilcormac-Killoughey past Éanna

Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-22 Naomh Eanna 0-14

Offaly champions Kilcormac-Killoughey blitzed Naomh Éanna by 2-13 to 0-03 in the second-half at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday to blast through to the Leinster Club hurling semi-finals.

The Wexford kingpins led 0-11 to 0-09 at half-time and appeared to be motoring satisfactorily although they were handing over wind advantage.

And Kilcormac-Killoughey shoved a considerable spanner in the Gorey side's works when hitting them for two rapid-fire goals to transform matters utterly by 2-11 to 0-11 after 38 minutes.

Shane Hand’s men didn’t look back as they powered through to a provincial last-four date against either Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) or O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) as Offaly ended their search for a first victory in the competition since 2018 - when Naomh Eanna, then first-time Wexford winners, were the last Wexford side to post a victory in it.

Kilcormac-Killoughey burst into an early 0-04 to no-score lead amid a raucous atmosphere as Colin Spain, teenager Adam Screeney (free) and Charlie Mitchell together with Conor Mahon obliged.

But Naomh Eanna soon settled as Jack Doran pegged back a seventh minute score, before Conor McDonald was foiled by Oisín Mahon, and Gorey midfielder Aodhán Doyle forced a save with the danger eventually being negated.

Nevertheless, Naomh Eanna made further in-roads to close to within 0-04 to 0-03 with scores from distance by both Catha Dunbar and McDonald.

And a brace of dead-balls from Jack Cullen levelled for the first time after 16 minutes (0-05 apiece), and he sides were tied twice more, before Naomh Eanna edged ahead by 0-11 to 0-09 at half-time with late incisions from placed-balls by Pádraig Doyle and Cullen.

The Offaly kingpins, with wind